M.S in Clinical Mental Health Counseling

The 60-credit CACREP-accredited Master of Science in Clinical Mental Health Counseling at LIU Brentwood prepares you for a career as mental health counselor. You will learn individual and group counseling techniques to help youths, adults, couples, parents and families work through their problems and issues. As a mental health counselor, you can have a positive and meaningful impact on people. The M.S. in Mental Health Counseling will provide counselors with the preparation and support they need to help others experience healthy, fulfilled lives.

LIU Brentwood is a leader in preparing students for careers in counseling and development. We provide an educational environment that fosters the personal and professional growth of future counselors and related professionals while upholding the highest ethical standards and respect for individual differences. Our faculty members are actively engaged in mental health counseling and frequently contribute to publications and conferences.

The program integrates mental health counseling theories and approaches with carefully supervised practical experiences in state-of-the-art appropriate field settings. The training comprises individual counseling as well as group and other systemic modalities within the developmental model and brief therapy framework. This is an individualized program emphasizing self-development and the integration of individual and group counseling theories and techniques, with a strong emphasis on carefully supervised clinical experiences. Each degree candidate will be required to complete 100 hours of counseling practicum (EDC 669) as follows: 90 hours in a school of mental health agency site and 10 hours off site with clients who will be audio-tapes and 600 hours of internship experience (EDC 683, EDC 684).

National Certification for Graduates

This program prepares students to fulfill the educational requirements for licensure as a mental health counselor established by the New York State Education Department, Office of the Professions. Graduates of this program will be eligible to take the National Counselor Examination. Successful completion of this examination will qualify the student to become a national certified counselor.

New York State Licensure

The program has been certified by the New York State Education Department as "licensure qualifying." For more information about mental health counseling and licensure, please contact the LIU Brentwood academic advisor, the coordinator for the Clinical Mental Health Counseling Program in the Department of Counseling and Development at LIU Post, or consult the New York Mental Health Counseling Association.

Office of Alcohol and Substance Abuse Services' (OASAS) Education and Training Program

Graduates of the master's degree program in Clinical Mental Health Counseling who complete the requisite coursework will meet the 350 hours of education and training required to apply for the Certified Alcohol and Substance Abuse Counselor-Trainee (CASAC-T) designation. Graduation from the master's degree program in Clinical Mental Health Counseling will also meet 4000 of the 6000 hour requirement for full certification as a CASAC. In addition, if the graduate completed their 600 internship hours in clinical mental health counseling at an OASAS affiliated facility, then the number of experiential hours needed for full certification will only be 1400. Upon admission to the Master's Degree in Clinical Mental Health Counseling program those students who are interested in the CASAC-T designation must declared in writing their intention to pursue the CASAC-T to the Chair of the Department of Counseling and Development.

Course Descriptions

Through a combination of classroom and field experiences, you will develop your skills as a professional counselor, assisting individuals, couples, families, adolescents and children. Click here for our course descriptions…

Financial Aid and Scholarships

Grants, discounts and scholarship opportunities can help make your education at LIU Brentwood a more affordable one, particularly for graduates of St. Joseph’s College and Long Island University. To learn more about our generous scholarship opportunities, click here.

Apply Now

To apply to the program, complete the LIU online application for admission or speak with an admissions counselor or faculty member at 631-273-5112. You can Request More Information by clicking here.